We followed the Kanawha River, which flows to the Ohio, and checked out the hamlets of Glasgow, Montgomery, and Smithers, then on to Kanawha Falls and Gauley Bridge. Turns out there really is a falls at Kanawha Falls!
An old powerhouse (date unspecified) still turns out a bit of power, judging from the power lines leaving the facility.
A short, as in height, dam stretches across the river, ponding most of the rivers water for use by the hydroelectric plant. It almost gives the impression of an infinity pool!
Just east of Gauley Bridge (by golly) we bailed off onto WV16. Along this byway we happened upon this unused mill from back in the day.
And finally, after turning east on US19, we reached our destination, the New River Gorge.
The origin of the name is unknown, but most who have studied the river subscribe to the thought that it is a "new" type of river. And, indeed, it is. The river is one of the few in the United States that "meanders" across a limestone plateau. Most rivers cut a fairly straight line as they erode the landscape over millions of years, but not the New! The Gorge is awesome, and the Visitors Center (it's a National Park) explains how coal was mined from the lower reaches of the Gorge for decades, since the river had done most of the excavation. The seams led to the development of a number of small towns, all of which have been reclaimed by the forest as the coal ran out. This was stereotypical West Virginia coal mining: a drift, or shaft was started, drillers made holes for dynamite, and then miners loaded carts with shovels for removal by mules. The miners were paid somewhere between $1.25 a day for a ten-hour day and 32.5 cents a ton. A good miner would load between 3 tons and 12 tons a day!
The Gorge today is spanned by the New River Gorge Bridge. Until 1977, the trip across the Gorge required 45 minutes. Today it is done in 45 seconds! It's 3,030 feet long, 876 feet high, and the arch span is 1,700 feet. It was for years the longest single-span arch bridge in the world, but is now the fourth longest, but is still the third highest in the United States. In 2005, the West Virginia state quarter featured the bridge on one side.
Completed in 1977 by U.S. Steel's American Bridge Division, it is made of COR-TEN steel and was "only" $4 million over bid! As expected, it attracts BASE jumpers and Bungee jumpers as well as suicide jumpers. The bridge is closed to vehicular traffic every year on the third Saturday of October for Fayette County's "Bridge Day", where we can all try our hand at jumping off a perfectly good bridge....not!
A narrow and at times one-way road leads down into the Gorge below the bridge from just east of the Visitor's Center to across the river at the bottom, and then back up to US19. Of course, we had to go!
As we continued on the byway, we were treated to one awesome view after another!
The perspective is unreal.
Climbing out of the limestone canyon, we entered a geologist's paradise.
After a long morning of driving, and a long exploration trip into and out of the Gorge, we had to stop for some refreshment! Biscuit World fit the comfort food order to a tee!
Two hundred thirty nine miles and seven and a half hours later, we made it back to a very happy to see us Sasha! Tomorrow promises to be another interesting WV day, but is our last in the state. We've learned that a little known state has much to offer in terms of scenery and friendly people. It's usually though of as a forgettable state on "the other side of the Blue Ridge", but let me tell you. it is beautiful! Sidebar: unlike most other states, West Virginia declared a budgetary surplus this year and will apply it directly to much needed projects and less-advantaged citizens. The key word is "directly".The surplus is in stark contrast to the problems the state has encountered over the last decade, and supports reports of and improved economy over the last two years.
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